Security has been beefed up in several places across India after at least 13 people were killed in an explosion near the iconic Red Fort on Monday (November 10). These include Shri Badrinath, Shri Kedarnath temple premises, Sri Jagannath temple and Bageshwar Baba Santan Ekta Yatra.
The blast took place around 7pm on Monday near the Subhash Marg traffic light near the Red Fort. It was a slow-moving Hyundai i20 that exploded, according to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Shah further said that “all possibilities” are being explored while several agencies have joined the investigation to ascertain the cause and motive of the blast.
The Delhi Police registered a case under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosives Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act at the Kotwali police station.
What did the first probe reveal?
Officials told PTI on Tuesday that findings of an initial investigation into the blast near the Red Fort indicated that it may have been “accidentally triggered” during the transportation of a hastily assembled explosive device after the destruction of an interstate terror module.
Investigators have zeroed in on Pulwama-based doctor Umar Nabi, who drove the car used in the blast that killed 12 and had alleged links with the terror cell in procuring explosives mainly from neighboring Faridabad in Haryana.
The terror module has failed
The blast at Red Fort on a busy Monday evening came hours after eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives were seized, revealing a “white-collar” terror cell comprising Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Among those arrested on Monday were Dr. Muzammil Ganaie and Dr. Shaheen Sayeed, both affiliated with Al-Falah University, Faridabad, from where 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was obtained.
Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for all the latest updates related to the Delhi Red Fort blast case.
